The Beauty and the Pirate
by The-Wonder-Witch
Summary: Belle has completely lost her memories. She doesn't even remember Rumplestiltskin. After he leaves town to search for his son, she is left alone to discover her identity and past. But she is not alone. Hook has a plan to get back at Rumplestiltskin once and for all by stealing his beloved's heart. But will the beauty be able to tame-and win the heart-of the pirate? (in progress)
1. The Plan

It was quiet-very, very quiet. That was the first thing Hook noticed as he slowly awoke. He could not hear the quick footsteps of the nurses or the rumors flying out about the stranger. Otherwise known as the man who had hit him with one of those-what were they called? Those strange horseless carriages that were everywhere in town? Oh right. A car. It was quiet. The decision about the man's fate must have been decided. It did not concern him, so he could not care less.

After another moment of listening, just to be sure he was alone, Hook opened his eyes. He groaned as pain shot through his chest as he slowly shifted to rest against the pillow. It must have been the middle of the night. The lights were turned down low, and the only nurse in sight was snoring against a desk nearby. He tried to sit up properly, but was held back by the handcuffs chaining him to the bed.

"Damn sheriff", he muttered under his breath. It was ironic how nearly every time they met, he ended up tied or chained to something. The Swan girl must have been in to that sort of thing. Hook wouldn't mind getting the chance to find out…but he would have to do so later. For now, he needed to figure out a way to get the hell out of there.

Instinctively, he moved his left arm over to pick the lock with his hook….but it was gone. There was nothing there but a nub. His eyes darkened dangerously as he remembered the day he had lost his hand to the Crocodile. He could remember it as if it were yesterday. The smell of the sea and of blood…the wicked gleam of the Dark One's smile…his love's last words…

"I got him", Hook whispered to the darkness. "I got him, my love. I took what he loved most…just as he took you from me.".

He smirked as he remembered the look of sorrow and despair on Rumplestiltskin's face. Now he knew what it was like to lose the woman you loved most. Now he knew what it was like to have everything he loved ripped away from him. The girl had lost her memories. She had no idea who the Crocodile was. He was nothing but a stranger to her. He had seen the look in her eyes as she stared up at Rumplestilskin. She had been terrified of him. As she should be. He was nothing but a cruel, heartless monster…Hook had done the woman a favor.

But now was not the time to rejoice in his victory. He had to get out of here. Hook looked about the room for something…ANYTHING…he could use to escape. His eyes soon locked on a tray of food on the table by his side. But not just on the food…but on what was beside it. A small, white, plastic fork…that was all he needed. With more grunts of pain due to his stiff and wounded body, he managed to grasp hold of the utensil with his remaining hand. He twisted his fingers until he was able to successfully manage to get one of the prongs into the key hole. A moment or two later, it made the faintest click before sliding off of his hand. Hook was free.

He glanced back over to the nurse and was relieved to see she remained blissfully unaware and unconscious. Good. He didn't want any trouble on his way out. Hook had to bite his lip to silence any sounds of pain as he slid off of the bed and rose to his feet. Swiftly and quietly as a thief in the night, he slipped out of the room and began down the first hall.

It seemed that nearly everyone had been so busy with the stranger to Storybrooke over the past twenty-four hours that they had all either gone home or simply fell asleep at their posts. It just made his escape even easier. Usually, he would be disappointed with the ease of it all. No struggles, no fights, no cut throats…but this time was different. He was left without a weapon or his hook. It would be best to simply slip away without any trouble.

Hook stopped suddenly as he heard the tiniest noise break the silence. He flattened himself against the wall and hid in the shadows, waiting to see what would come. But no nurse rounded the corner suddenly. No doctor hurried past him. Perhaps he had imagined it…no. There it was again. Only it wasn't coming from the hall…rather, it came from just beyond the slightly cracked door he stood next to. Cautiously, Hook peeked around the corner of the door, ready for a fight if need be.

It was her. It was the girl-Belle-asleep inside. She did not seem hurt-the Crocodile had obviously healed her wound. But he had not shot to kill. No, he had shot to make her forget. Her long brown hair fell around her pretty face as she remained peacefully asleep. The sight was a far cry from the last time he had seen her. Hook wondered how many times Rumplestiltskin had come to her. How many times he had tried to restore her memories already. And how many times she had begged him to leave her alone or screamed in terror at the sight of him. Hook smirked in triumphant at the thought.

He turned to go and leave the hospital behind, when a new thought struck him. A way to ensure that Rumplestiltskin was NEVER reunited with his beloved. Already, a plan began to form in his mind and a look of determination and mischief entered his eyes. He turned back to the sleeping girl and whispered, "Sweet dreams, dear Belle.". He then turned around and crept back into the other room and back to his bed. One thought ran through his head as Hook fixed the handcuffs around his wrist once more: This was going to be fun.


	2. The First Meeting

Belle slowly stirred from sleep and opened her eyes. She squinted at the bright sunlight that entered through the windows and reflected off of the white, bare walls. Finally, she was able to open her eyes completely and look about the room. On the table beside her bed was a breakfast tray with eggs, bacon, and porridge. Cards from people she did not know were propped up beside them as well. She picked up the nearest one with 'Get Well' written in huge letters on the front. Inside was scrawled out: _To Belle, I hope you are feeling better soon. I know you must be very confused and ill now. But don't worry; I'm certain you will be better as quickly as possible. Dr. Whale will help you as much as he can. We all will. Love, Ruby._

Who was Ruby? Who was Doctor Whale? How did all of these people know her? Her head spun, and she immediately put the card back down. Calm down. It would do her no good to freak out now. She needed to try to set things straight. She needed to sort things out. She was good at sorting things out. She didn't know how she knew that…but she did.

Belle. That must be her name. That was the name every card was addressed to. That was the name the nurses had called her. That was the name that…that THING had called her. She looked about the room wildly, half expecting to see that crazy man once more. Already he had bothered her enough yesterday. The creep had even…even KISSED her as she slept! What was wrong with him? Was it normal in this town for strange old men to walk about kissing patients? And he kept talking of magic…of her remembering him…of love. He was insane. He had to be. She was not in love with him. She was afraid of him. And she had already asked the hospital staff to stop him if he tried to come back for her. She was dealing with enough as it was; she didn't need some lunatic trying to assault her as well.

Belle breathed in deeply as she tried to calm herself again. He wasn't here. He wasn't here. She was alone. So she now knew her name…that was a start. Judging by the cards, she had a lot of friends as well. She tried to remember something…anything…but all she could remember were white walls. She remembered sitting in a room, day after day, staring at empty walls. She could still smell the sharp odor of cleaning supplies. And…and a woman's face. A woman who check on her every now and then. A woman with short, dark hair who would peek in at her through the window and smile at her misery. That was all Belle could remember, before waking up with a bullet in her shoulder and the sound of sirens in the distance.

After that, everything was a blur. One moment her shoulder was in excruciating pain, the next she was healed with just one touch. Some sort of accident had happened just to the left of her. A car had ran into a nearby sign. Storybrooke. That was what the sign had read. That must be the name of the town she was in. Hmm…odd name.

The next thing she knew, she was being loaded into an ambulance and driven away. She could still hear the sound of anxious voices and see the brief glances of the town from outside the window. She had fallen asleep shortly after. When she woke, she was in the hospital with that…that man. Her encounters with him were NOT something she wanted to remember.

Belle sat up in the bed suddenly. She needed some fresh air to clear her head. She looked about but could see no nurses in sight. Oh well, she would simply go on her own. She rose shakily to her feet and started off towards the door. Her bare feet sounded quietly on the cold floor. Her long hair fell in a mess around the shoulders of her simple yellow gown. She looked outside of the door, but saw no one in sight. Perhaps that was a good thing. At least that meant no demented strangers would bother her.

Belle continued down the hall, even though she had no idea where she was going. But surely anywhere was better than that same room where the very walls seemed to close in about her. She was startled as a man's voice suddenly called out to her, "Excuse me, miss.".

The sound was coming from the doorway just behind her. She looked up and down the hallway, but realized no one else was there. The stranger must have been talking to her. Curious, she poked her head inside the door and asked, "Yes?".

It seemed Belle was not the only patient at the hospital. Inside the room, a rugged man around his late twenties rested on a bed. He had bandages wrapped around his chest and some stitches as well. Most notable of all was the fact that his left hand was completely gone. Only a nub sat where his fingers should be. She forced herself not to stare at the odd injury as she did not want to be rude. Belle noticed that, unlike her bedside that was filled with gifts from friends she could not remember, not a single get well card rested on the table beside him.

"Can you hand me that cup of water? I'm dying of thirst", requested the stranger. "I would get it myself, but-", here he paused and lifted up his one remaining hand which had been chained to the bed rail.

Belle's eyes widened in shock, and it took her a moment to manage, "Oh-oh of course. One moment.". She walked over to the man and picked up the cup, before raising it to his lips to drink.

"Thank you, love.", said the man in gratitude as he finished. There was something very familiar about this man, but she didn't know what.

"Why are you chained up?", she asked curiously. "I hope they don't do that to patients who leave to go for a walk. If so, I'm in trouble.".

The man laughed and said, "Don't worry, I doubt they'll lock you up for just going on a stroll. I, however, tried to leave this fine institution after being told not to.".

"Why aren't you allowed to leave?", Belle asked. This place seemed stranger and stranger with every new person she met. Then again, this man did not seem entirely new to her. She was certain she had seen his face before.

"One, I'm still being treated for injuries. Two, they're keeping me here for questioning regarding the accident I was in", he confessed. Belle's eyes widened as she finally realized how she knew the mysterious man.

"You were there! You were the man who was hit by that car. Oh my God, you were hit by a car! Are you alright?", she rushed.

"Slow down, love. I'm alright. Just a few broken ribs". He said it as if those were minor injuries, not excruciatingly painful ones.

"But…you were hit by a car. You could have died!", continued Belle, surprised at how calm and unaffected he seemed.

"I've been in worse scrapes.", he said. She supposed that one of those 'worse scrapes' was how he had lost his hand. Belle hated to think how much that must have hurt. Wait…this man had been there. He must have seen what had happened! He must have seen who shot her! He must have seen how that man healed her wound! Maybe…maybe he knew what was going on! Belle opened her mouth to ask the first of her long list of questions, when a nurse came in through the door.

"Miss, you shouldn't be up and about yet. Come on, I think you should go back to your room.", she said. Without waiting for her reply, the nurse wrapped her arm around Belle and began to guide her away.

"My name's Killian, by the way!", called out the one-handed man.

"Belle!", she called back to him, before she was taken away from the one person who might know what had really happened…and who she was.


End file.
